Exclusive: Jaylen Rose talks Kobe Bryant’s 81-point game

ByNBAUSA



20 years to the day, Kobe Bryant’s 81-point game against the Toronto Raptors January 22, 2006 remains one of the most significant performances in NBA history. Those 81 points are the second-most points scored in a single NBA game all-time, trailing only Wilt Chamberlain’s 100-point masterpiece (March 2, 1962 vs. the New York Knicks).

Among the defenders tasked with slowing him down that night was the then-Raptors guard Jalen RoseA 13-year NBA veteran, former Michigan Fab Five member and popular sports media personality, who has since spoke honestly about his role in the game, fully embracing its connection to a moment that has become far greater than any single match or box score.

“He gets asked a lot, but it looks different now that he’s not here anymore, to be honest,” Rose told ClutchPoints’ Rob Lepelstat. “It’s like a family to me.

“It’s funny – like people think they’re clowning me when they mention it, but I’m the person who wrote and produced the ’81 Olives commercial. And he has GOAT status – when you play against Jordan, Tom Brady and all these great players – amazing things are going to happen.

“And then I realized why they’re telling me that in the first place: because I’m relevant.”

Bryant’s resume puts him firmly in the GOAT conversation, combining elite longevity, wins at the highest level and individual dominance rarely seen in NBA history.

Bryant openly idolized Michael Jordan, modeling his game, mindset and relentless competitiveness after the player he considered the gold standard. Kobe studied Jordan’s footwork, lag and approach to big moments, even asking him for advice early in his career.

Over time, that admiration evolved into a peer-level relationship, with Kobe passing on Jordan’s influence while creating his own legacy built on the same obsession with excellence and winning.

Over 20 years of career with the Lakers, Bryant won five NBA championshipshe scored 33,643 career points (fourth all-time at the time of retirement) and earned 18 All-Star selections.

He was named to 15 All-NBA teams, including 11 first-team honors, and made 12 All-Defensive Teams – an unusual combination that highlighted his impact on both ends of the floor. Bryant was the 2008 NBA MVP, a two-time Finals MVP and one of the most feared scorers the league has ever seen, highlighted by that iconic 81-point game.

Numbers aside, his relentless competitiveness, work ethic and ability to deliver in the biggest moments cemented his legacy as one of basketball’s ultimate standard bearers.

On the other hand, Rose forged a unique basketball career that bridged cultural influence and on-court production. He first rose to prominence as a member of Michigan’s legendary Fab Five, a group that changed college basketball’s style, swagger and conversation in the early 1990s while reaching back-to-back NCAA title games. Drafted in 1994, Rose went on to play 13 NBA seasons, becoming a key scorer and playmaker, most notably with the Indiana Pacers, where he helped lead the team to the 2000 NBA Finals.

His breakout year was 1999-2000, when he averaged over 18 points per game and earned the NBA MVP award. Although never an All-Star, Rose consistently put up strong numbers, including a 20-point-per-game season, and later reinvented himself as a respected media personality (including co-hosting Jaylen and Jacoby, as well as a staple of ESPN’s NBA Studio at the NBA Club) and a figure that cemented its cultural coverage.

In the end, that night binds them together forever — not just as competitors, but as brothers bound by respect and shared history. For Rose, being a part of Bryant’s 81-point game is less about the box score and more about a lifelong relationship, one that lives both on and off the court, tied to friendship, legacy and the kind of greatness that never fades.

Mamba Forever.





2026-01-23 00:47:00

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